The last five years have been unkind to 132 Second Place, a four story brownstone between Court Street and Smith Street. What started in 2005 as a vertical and horizontal enlargement, quickly turned into a comedy of errors, DOB violations and stop-work orders. Add to that a change in ownership and a time in limbo after the Carroll Gardens Wide Street Text Amendment and Contextual Rezoning, which all contributed to long delays.

But more than anything, it was the shoddy work that dragged this construction out so long.

After some stop-work orders, work resumed and a fifth floor was added to the existing structure.

Recently, new permits have be re-issued and work has resumed. In the last few days, crews have filled a dumpster with debris.

On Monday, the crew took a sledgehammer to the stoop and whacked it off, completing this old building's re-muddle.

More optimistic minds might say that a new stoop will be added. That could be, of course, but given the recent history of the building, I doubt it.
That's one less nice old brownstone in the neighborhood and one more poster child for land-marking the neighborhood.

I know the contractor, and he is, indeed, going to dig out the lower floor and put the entrance there. I believe he's also planning to remove the front plastering, which is fake, and make the frontage look a lot nicer than it has over the past few years. So, with any luck, it will be an asset instead of an eyesore. Martin Rowe

Wow- its a horror- with those cement walls on both sides, its so claustrophobic. Why not leave the original wrought iron fence- or erect one - as the rest of all the other brownstones have on all the blocks. Its a terrible site-A wall upfront would have done-but to enclose all the sides with cement- Horror- Reminds me of water dam walls.